Can I plant a new apple tree in old apple tree space?

[gilly_gherkin]

We wish to get rid of our old cooking apple tree (and I mean 'old' ) because the apples are riddled with codling moth when it does fruit, and any apples that are free of it are very mushy. We would like to plant a new apple tree like a cox's orange pippin, or a bramley - can we do so in the same place, or is this not advisable? Has anyone any experience of this type of situation - would love to know - thanks.

[Lesley Jay]

At last I have found the answer Gilly!!

You should avoid planting in the same place where there was a tree of the same type before as 'Specific Apple Replant Disease' will stop the new tree thriving. We have always had a Cox's Orange Pippin in the garden and the amount of fruit each year has always been poor. I don't know if that is typical of the variety or just our tree!

[gilly_gherkin]

Thanks Lesley - there is another spot in the garden where we can plant a new apple tree after all - so we'll do just that and not use the same hole again.

[PlantingJoe]

Originally Posted by Lesley Jay

At last I have found the answer Gilly!!

You should avoid planting in the same place where there was a tree of the same type before as 'Specific Apple Replant Disease' will stop the new tree thriving. We have always had a Cox's Orange Pippin in the garden and the amount of fruit each year has always been poor. I don't know if that is typical of the variety or just our tree!

Interesting, I've never heard of that. Why does it stop a new tree from thriving?

[gilly_gherkin]

Don't really know the answer to that one PlantingJoe, maybe Lesley can give us more details on that??

[Lesley Jay]

I've been having a read and it is thought that the replanting disease is caused by tree pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and nematodes that are in the living tissue of the mature tree. These pathogens live on in the soil and any old roots after the old tree is removed and quickly attack the roots of the new young tree so that shoot growth is nearly zero. It affects apples, cherries, pears, plums and also roses. We are going to replant roses in our front garden after a break of about 16 years so hopefully they will grow okay.

[PlantingJoe]

Well, you learn a new thing everyday! We used to have quite a massive tree in our back garden which was removed many, many years ago now. Thankfully it seems to have not affected anything else that was planted in the same place, although the main area of the old tree is covered by the shed now.